Process and apparatus for producing carbon black



Fe 8 927 c. MATLOCK PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CARBON LACK Original Filed July2l.- 1923 l'l'lllINIIAIAIJIBIMIAIA oily and tarry products.

black, described 1n co Patented res. 8,1921.'

UNITED STA-rss PATENT' OFFICE.

cnAUNcEY ma'rnocx, orv BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, assronon l:ro MONROE-LOUISIANA cannon COMPANY, or MONROE, LOUISIANA, A CORPORATION' or DELAWARE l PECESS AND APPARATUS FOR P RDDUCDG CN BLAGK.

' 'appnnon'mea my 21, i921, serial mismas. Renewed october so, me.

l and more particularly to a process and apparatus for cheaply and eiiciently producing carbonv black of excellent uality free from I qMore specifically the invention relates to an improvement on a proce:s 'and apparatus for producing carbon nding application Serial N o. 435,068-in whlchhydrocarbons are partially oxidized to form a suspension of carbon particles in'gaseous products of combustion and the carbon is separated from the gaseous products at temperatures above the end boiling points of any tarry or oily .products contained '1n-the gaseous' roducts, or

A above the temperatures at' which tarry or oily products are condensed or-absorbed in said' carbon. Y

In the above mentioned process 'the hydrocarbons from which the carbon -is to be produced are burned in a closed furnace to which a regulated amount of air is admitted to' obtain the desired combustion reaction. The quantity of air supplied and the conditions of combustion are so controlled as to obtain definite temperature conditions in the furnace and to cause a `decomposition and a. partial combustion of the hydrocarbons and thereby produce a large quantity of free car- Y bon suspended in the gaseous products of combustion. The gases and suspended carbon thereupon pass without excessive cooling directly through a filter suitable for separating the carbon from the gases, the temperature of the filter and ofthe carbon and gases being maintained' above that at .which tarry and oily products are condensed or absorbed inthe carbon. In filtering the carbon from the gases in the above mentioned process a set of ilters arranged in parallel are used, one of which is periodically cut out of the gas circuit and cleaned from the deposited carbon. This periodic change in the filters, i however, tends to introduce a periodic variation in the draft and other conditions of operation and a consequent disturbance and interference with the control and adjustment of combustion conditions within the furnace. An object of the present invention is to rovide a process of producing carbon black y which the carbon black vmay be formed under accurately controlled conditions and the lcarbon isolated in a continuous manner uncontaminated with oily ortarry products.

Another object of the invention is to rovide a process of producing'carbon blac by which the carbon black may be continuously separated from being formed,

A still furtherv object of the invention is to provide an .apparatus by which carbon gases immediately after black may be continuously separated from'A gaseous reaction products,

A still further object of the. invention is to provide an apparatus by which Vcarbon black may be formed and isolated in a uniform manner and by which the conditions Aof formation and isolation of the carbon may be y controlled and 'irregularities in operation may be avoided. I,

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the' process and apparatus describedin the followingV specilication and delined in the claims.

' The various features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: l

lFig. l is a. sectional elevation through an 'apparatus for carrying on the process, em-

boying thefpreferred form of theinvention, an n .v

Fig. 2 is' a vertical sectional view of the apparat-us.

Inthe present invention, carbon black produced as a fine suspension in the gaseous products formed by the dissociation and partial combustion of hydrocarbons is separated and removed from the gaseous products in a continuous, uniform manner at a suciently high temperature to prevent the condensa tion or deposition in the separated carbon of oily or tarry products formed by the dissociation and partial combustion of the hydrocarbons. To this end, the hydrocarbons are preferably burned in comparativelyl large flames in an enclosed furnace under such conditions Ythat the temperature, pressure, velocity and other factors affecting combustion may tie-controlled andthe gases protected from cooling and other disturblng in 'luences. On the completion ofthe desired partial combustion and dissociation of the hydrocarbons, the gases and carbon are immediately removed from the furnace Without cooling them sufficientlyto cause'- a condensation of tarry' or oily substances resulting from the dissociation and combustion reactions and the carbon is thereuponcontinuously4 filtered ,and vremovedl from' vcontact y with the reaction gases. The carbon is continuously removed from the filter in a uniform manner by the use of a continuous filtering device, preferably 'in the form of a rotating cylindrical screen by which the carbon is continuously filtered from the gases,

' carried out of contact with the gases and rev 'Referring more particularly to `the accompanying drawings, the hydrocarbons to be used for the production of the carbon black vare supplied to a furnace, '10, through a supgases. The screen is therefore rotated i-n the l ipe, 12 and controlling valve, 14, and Eri; distributed in the lower partl of the furnace by means of burners, 16. Air for supporting the partialco'mbustion of the hydrocarbons is supplied to the furnace through a suppl pipe, 18` and the rate of supply of air is a justed, by means of a damper, 20 yto provide suiiicient' oxygen to oxidize the hydrogen and suiiicient part of the carbon of the .hydrocarbons to give the temperature conditions favorable to the production of a maximum 'of carbon black` of the desired quality. The air and hydrocarbons are mixed in the lower part of the furnace and,

upon reaching a zone extending upwardly in the furnace from a short distance above the burners, 16, are burned in a substantially uniform manner within a blanket or body of hot burning gases, 22.

The hydrocarbons can not, however, in ordinary practice, be completely dissociated to hydrogen and carbon, or oxidized to water, oxides f carbon and free carbon, a small amount of heavy tarry or oily va ors being formed in the gases through .dissoclation and recombination of the hydrocarbons. To obtain a carbon black substantially free from these tarry and oily products, the carbon is filtered from the suspending gases while still at a temperature above the end boiling point of the tarry or oily products, or above a temperature at which suchproducts are absorbed by thefsuspended carbon. The separated carbon is'thereupon continuously removed from contact with the 'gases while above this temperature and may thereafter `be cooled entirely out of contact with the t within a suitable housing, 30, The edges of the opening of the chamber, 26, fit closely, the surface of the screen, 28, and the gases are therefore drawn from the chamber, 26, through the screen, 28, into a chamber, 32,

having Walls which meet and contact with or closely approach the inner surface of the The carbon se arated from the gases onA orms a deposit which be-t the screen, 28, comes thicker and denser as the ltration rogresses and accordingly o'ers an increas- 1ng resistance to theI further passage o direction shown by .the arrow in the drawlng, by means of driving rollers, 42, and 43,

feo

on opposite surfaces of the screen and the deposited carbon is carried through the slots between the chambers, 26, and 32, into a ols'it'ion above a hopper or receptacle, 46, which extends downwardly through the lower part of the housing, 30.

The carbon may be detached from the screen and collected in the hopper, 46, by

any suitablemeans. In the embodiment of f the invention. shown in the accompanying drawings, this removal is effected by blowing mert gases from a chamber, 48, within the rotating screen and above the hopper, l26, in

a reverse directionto the passage'of gasesv to the screen during the filtering operation. The carbon is thereby detached from the surface of the screen and falls into the hopper from which vit may be removed throu h an outlet pipe, 50. Upon the removal of trim carbon, the 'screen is drawn or rotated yby* means of the rollers, 42, and 44, into the filtering chamber 26-32, and again serves to separate carbon from the hot combustion gases, from the furnace, l0, By means of this arrangement a constant, steady draught through the entire apparatus is maintalned and at the same time, the carbon is continuously removed from the gases in a condition substantially free from oily or tarry products. It will be understood that the form of .the chambers 26 and 32 may beichanged to of any material capable of withstanding the temperatures employed. A Monel -metal screen of 300 mesh, for instance, meets the ordinary requirements of the process.

In cooling the filtered gases in the pipe, 36, tarry and oily 4products which have passed through the screen, 28, are condensed, together with any finely divided carbon which mayhave been carried through the screen. The lcondensed products will vary somewhat under different conditions'of operation, but usually comprise a variety of hydrocarbons, consisting largely of naph-` .produced in 'the .form'of'aie mist or suspensionof droplets carried "in the cooled '5 gases, from which 4they are ltered 1n the filtering chamber, 40. From the end of the pipe, 36,the gases entera compartment, 52, formed in the lowerfpart of the filtering chamber, 40, by 10. means of a horizontal partition, 54. The gases pass upwardly from the compartment 52, through openings,` 56, in the artiticn, 54, and enter filtering bags, 58, o .suitable filtering cloth having o 'n ends mount-cd in the openings, 56, an upper .ends-"su f ported in an upper compartment, 60,' of t e chamber, 40, into which thel gases pass through the filter bags.- The tarry products are retained on the inner surface of the bags and the gases passing into the chamber, 50, are removed through an outlet pipe, 52, by means of a fan, 64. The bags, 56, are shaken at intervals to cause the filtered carbom and tarr products to drop1 into shopper, 56, in t e lower part of t e compartment,'52, from which they may be removed through' a chute, 66, upon the removal of aslide, 70. To enable the bags to be shaken, the upper ends of the bags are supported by means of b1ocks, 72, suspended froma frame,` 71, which is, in turn, carried by a rod, 76, passing through and mounted eccentrically in the upper part of the chamber and provided with a crank, 78, outside of the chamber.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in the above specification but it will be understood that `various chan es iii the form and 'pro oi-A` tions of the ii terin screen and inthe arm 40 and arrangement o the various elements of' the invention Without departing from the broader features of the-invention, set forth in the follow' claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as newY is:

1. A process of reducing and recovering carbon black whic comprises, incomplete. ly oxidizing hydrocarbons to form carbon,

continuously filtering the products of partial oxidation through a screen, continuously passing said screen through said gases and continuously removing. carbon from said screen. out 0f contact with said gases.

2. A process of producing and recovering carbon black which comprises, incompletely oxidizing hydrocarbons to form a sus-` pension of carbon in gaseous products of combustion, passing the gaseous products ot' said partial combustion in a conti-nuous .stream through a filter, continuously renewing said filter and removing deposited ca rbon from said filter out of contact with said gases.

3. A process' of producing and' recovering carbon black, whichcomprises incompletely man@ and ethaiiydroapas of alam-f tinuously :ous products.

of said treatment, separating sai oxidizinghydrocarbon asesftoformcarbo i. Y

continuously partial at passing saidlter 1n a continuous manner* oxidation to carry gaseous-products.

4. A process of which com rises, i issociating' and mcompletelyv oxi ing vhydrocarbons to form a suspension -of carbon in gaseous products of said oxidation, continuously separating said carbon from said gaseous products 'at a teinperature over that approximating that of the ignition points of said hydrocarbons, and removing said yseparated carbon from contact with said gaseous products.

5. A process of which comprises, issociating and incompletely oxidizing hydrocarbons to form free carbon suspended 1n gaseous reaction products, continuously filtering said carbon from said Vgaseous products at a temperature of over 800 F. and continuously removing said iltered carbon from contact with said gase- 6. A` process of producing carbon black which comprises, treating hydrocarbons to produce a suspension of finely divided free carbon in gaseous products of'said treatment, separating said carbon from said gaseous products at temperatures above which su stantial amounts of oils or tar are deposited invsaid separated carbon and continuously removing said carbon from contact with said gases at said temperatures.

7. A process of Vvproducing carbon 'black which comprises, treating hydrocarbons in a gaseous state to finely divided carbon in the gaseous roducts d) carbon from said gaseous products in a' continuous manner and continuously removing said separated carbon from contact with said gases while vmaintaining said carbon and said gases at a temperature'above which tarry "andoily products are deposited in said car- 8. A process of producing carbon black which comprises partially oxidizing hydrocarbons to form a suspension of carbon in the aseous products of reaction, continuousy passing `said gaseous vproducts through a filtering screen, moving said screen transversely of said gaseous products rough said products of partialf ltered'carbon out of said= produce a suspension of r assing -t e productsof sai f i ibn' throu h a filter andrwn rodueing carbon black I' lproducing carbon black i of oxidation to remove filtered carbon from contact with said gaseous products and to continuously present a new filtering surface to said gases.

9. A -process 'of producing carbon black which comprises, partially oxidizing hydrocarbons in a closed furnace to form a suspension of carbon in gaseous products of partial combustion, removing said oases -and carbon from said furnace, filtering the carbon from the gaseous products of combustion without substantlal cooling of said gases or carbon and continuously removing said carbon from said gases.

10. An apparatus' for the production and recovery of carbon black which comprises a furnace, ,a rotating screen of heat resisting material, means for drawing gases from said furnace through said screen throughout a portion of its path of .travel and means for removing deposits of filtered carbon fromsaid screen While out of contact with said gases.

11. An apparatus for the production and recovery of carbon black whichcomprises a furnace, a rotating cylindrical filtering screen of heat resisting material, means for drawing gases from said furnace inwardly through said screen during a part of its path of travel and means forI removing deposits of filtered carbon from said screen out of contact with said gases.

12. An apparatus for the'productionand recovery of carbon black which comprises a furnace, a rotating cylindrical screen of nietal, means for drawing gases from said furnace through said screen throughout a portion of n its path of travel and means` for removing filtered carbon from said screen out of con-V tact with said gases.

13. An apparatus for the production and recovery of carbon black which comprises a furnace, a rotating screen of heat resisting material, means for continuously rotating said screen, means for filtering gases fromv said furnace through said screen during a part of its pathvof rotation and means for blowing carbon from said screen while out y of Contact with said gases.

14. Any apparatus for producing and recovering carbon lblack whichA comprises a furnace arranged gtok partially oxidize hydrocarloons andproduc'e suspended carbon inthe gaseous vproducts of combustion, a

housing adjacent said furnace, a rotating screen of heatlresisting materiall insaidv housing, an v`outlet leadingv from said furnace and arranged to pass gases from said furnace through' saidsereen throughout a portion of its path of rotation and means for removing carbon from said screenoutside of said portion of its path of travel.

15. An apparatus for producing carbon black, which comprises a furnace, a housing adjacent said furnace, a rotating cylindrical screen in said housing, anI outlet from said Y furnace leading to the outer surface of'said screen, a chamber within said screen and open to the portion of said screen opposite said furnace outlet and means for withdrawing 'gases fromy said furnace through said outlet and screen and into said chamber.

y16. An apparatus for 'the reduction and I,

17. An apparatus oftheclass described comprising a furnace, a rotating screen located in the path of travel 'of gases of said furnace,.a carbon black recovery receptacle located outside the path of travel of said gases, and means to move the screen in the path of travel of said gases to said reeep.

tacle outside said path of travel and deposit the collected carbon therein. f

In testimony whereof, I atlix my signature CHAUNCEY MATLOCK. 

